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B
iking has experienced a surge of interest among
travellers as a thrilling and environmentally
friendly way to explore a landscape. From the
satisfaction of reaching the top of a steep hill to
the adrenaline-fuelled excitement that washes
over you as you tear back down, there’s a certain
appeal to cycling. Whether it’s a pilgrim’s trail
or a mountainous back-country ride, a heritage
route or a newly completed track, there’s never been a better
time to explore the world on two wheels.
AUSTRALIA
Freshly carved into the landscape and considered one of the
world’s longest continuous of-road tracks, Western Australia’s
Munda Biddi trail is forging a strong reputation not only as
Australia’s premier of-road biking route, but as a world-class trail.
Completed in 2013, the ride is divided into sections stretching
across 1000 kilometres from Mundaring near Perth to Albany in
the south. Munda Biddi means ‘path through the forest’ in the
Noongar language, and yellow and blue markers line the frebreaks,
forest paths and old railway lines that make up the ride.
The track is remote, and it’s not uncommon to have to drag
your bike over a fallen tree or brake hard to avoid a mob of
kangaroos as you cycle through the bush. Campsites, along with
12 purpose-built huts with water and bunks, are set up along the
way, and the trail crosses into towns every two to three days,
allowing access to showers, supplies and bike repair shops.
While parts of the route are considered difcult, particularly
for those travelling with gear, some sections intersect with the
road so it is possible to break up the ride. However, what makes
Munda Biddi unique is that you can’t tackle it in a defnitive
number of days; this of-road trail is a journey ruled by weather,
geography and chance. www .mundabiddi.org.au.
CANADA
The golden age of train travel has faded, but its legacy lives on as
abandoned railways are reimagined as green gateways for a new
generation of bikers. The Le P’tit Train du Nord in Canada shows
OPPOSITE Heli-
biking in New
Zealand. ABOVE
Parc National Du
Mont-Tremblant is
accessible from
Canada’s Le P’tit Train
du Nord bike trail.
the potential of the concept, with the
creation of an impressive 232-kilometre
linear park cutting through the Laurentian
Mountains region near Montreal.
Originally built at the turn of the
century to bring tourists to the mountains,
today the rail trail has again revived tourism
in the area. During the summer, cyclists
ride the mixed paved and crushed gravel
track, while in winter, bikes are swapped
for cross-country skis and snowmobiles.
Along the way, old platforms and train
stations have been transformed into bike
rental stores, cafes, tourism information
centres and art galleries. Small inns and
B&Bs ofer bike parking, and services are
available to shuttle bags between hotels.
The trail can take three to fve days,
depending on how many kilometres you
can tear up between the villages that are
dotted on the path. The gradient is gentle,
allowing riders of all ability levels an
opportunity to enjoy the spectacular
forest, river and scenic mountain views
along the way. www .laurentides.com.
NEW ZEALAND
Up in the air, the rotors drown out all
other sound. The bikes are racked to the
helicopter sides as though it’s a gunship,
ready to conquer the unsuspecting
landscape below and, as the copter gains
altitude, the temperature begins to drop.
From mountain-biking enthusiasts
chasing the ultimate downhill rush to
beginners wanting to avoid an uphill battle,
heli-biking has emerged as an exciting
adventure sport, combining the thrill of
071
JULY 2015 VIRGIN AUSTRALIA
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